


Of a ghost, a gift and an enigmatic person

by Hectatess



Series: 2019 Advent Calendar [22]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Supernatural
Genre: Christmas Presents, Fluff, Haunted Arc, M/M, Multiple Crossovers, With A Twist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:35:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21851566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hectatess/pseuds/Hectatess
Summary: Dean is out on his own, shopping for gifts, since his brother, the angels and the witch had done that yesterday, while he was sleeping. He has nearly everything, but just needs one last gift. When he walks into a random store, it turns out to be a hunt.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: 2019 Advent Calendar [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1557082
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51
Collections: SPN Advent Calendar 2019





	Of a ghost, a gift and an enigmatic person

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NotfunnyDean (IronEyes)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronEyes/gifts).



**December 22nd**

Grumping and grousing, because he had to go out on his own to buy Christmas gifts, Dean trudged through the sleet. After that freak blizzard, Lebanon was back to its usual amount of precipitation, and he was cold and wet. He had found a rare book on kelpies for Sam, a tiny crystal mortar and pestle for Rowena, a bucket of cotton candy the size of a Labrador retriever for Gabe, but nothing for his angel as of yet. He wanted to get Cas something special, since it was their first Christmas as boyfriends. But whatever he saw, it didn’t make him smile and think of Cas.

He sighed and pushed open a random shop door. He just needed to get out of the sleet and warm up. “Hello, kind sir. Are you looking for something for your special someone?” a gentle voice with a British accent called out. Dean blinked then turned to the counter, where a boyish looking man with curly blonde hair, light blue eyes and a wide smile was watching him. “As a matter of fact, yeah. And kudos for acknowledging that not everyone has the same kind of relationship. What can you offer me? Non-binary.” 

The guy’s smile widened, became more genuine. “A challenge! How fun!” He clapped his hands in enthusiasm. “Well, rings are always a good item, unless you don’t want to give a wrong impression. I mean… there is such a thing as friendship rings… I had a mother buy two identical rings. One for her, one for her daughter. “A symbol of our bond.” she said.” Dean smiled. This guy, in his champagne-and-tan coloured clothes and tartan bow tie was likable. “I like the sound of that. Symbol of a bond… we do have a profound bond.” The man’s face softened and he sighed. “I know how that goes. So. Rings?” Dean nodded. 

With a brisk clap in his hands, the man somehow summoned a teen. “Yes, Mr. Azi?” she wavered. “Ah Elly! Would you be so kind as to get the rings, please?” Mr. Azi said in a chipper tone. The youth blanched, her freckles standing out like stardust. “R...rings? Ehm… do… don’t you have those there, Mr. Azi?” Azi frowned. “No. I am quite certain that they are in the safe.” She shook her strawberry blonde hair. “I… I don’t wanna go back there without Mr. C. It… it fears him.” Dean cocked his head. “It? What it?” Mr. Azi hurried to try and distract him. “No nono… Elly has a vivid imagination… there’s nothing there!” But Dean knew there probably was. “Look, Mr. Azi… I heard it all. From kelpies to wendigos… and then some.” Mr. Azi’s face opened up in delighted wonder. “Oh! You’re a Hunter? How fortuitous! Elly… please escort the gentleman to the back room. He can help us! Then you won’t need to worry whenever my partner isn’t here.”

Elly showed Dean to a dingy, overstocked room. “This place is creepy,” she whispered. “Without Mr.C… Half a minute before it shows.” She turned tail and all but ran back to the front. Dean watched her go. “Huh… my money is on ghost,” he muttered. And sure enough, the temperature dropped like a stone. “Money? You’re spending money? On Christmas humbug, am I right?” It took Dean all he had to not roll his eyes. “Alright there, Mr. Scrooge. So what if I am?” The ghost flickered into being. “You… you know who I am?” it asked, its eyes widening behind the wire rimmed glasses that perched on his hooked nose. Other than that he looked nothing like the classic Ebenezer Scrooge personification. Sure, his clothes were thin and worn, but he didn’t look that old, and surely wasn’t stooped over. “You’re Ebenezer Scrooge? Are you joking?” 

The ghost looked offended. “Why would I lie about that? I have been hanging around here for ages, after that pesky sneak thief stowed away on the boat across the ocean. He took my watch. Not that I need it perse, but… it was special to me. Bob and his family gave it to me after I retired.” Well, that explained it. “Which watch, sir?” he asked politely. The spirit hadn’t turned violent on him, and he could at least be civil too then. “It seems you’re tied to it and can’t pass on.” Scrooge pointed to a tiny box, all dusty and tucked away in a corner. “The demon doesn’t know,” he mumbled. “Neither does the angel, But you do. You can set me free?” Ignoring the odd remark, the ghost was old and probably losing track of things, Dean nodded. “I’m gonna have to burn this,” he explained. “I’m sorry.” The ghost scoffed. “By all means, good sir. It is of no use to me anymore.” 

“Mr. Azi? Do you have a furnace?” Dean asked, popping his head around a corner. Mr. Azi looked happily surprised. “Yes. Yes we do. One door down the corridor. Are you doing ok in there?” Dean gave him a winning smile. “Peachy, sir! Be out in a minute.” He took the watch and, accompanied by Scrooge, he made his way to the furnace. Without further ado, he threw the watch in the red-hot heat. Scrooge nodded. “That feels proper. Thank you. Merry Christmas.” Dean smiled. “Wasn’t that humbug?” he teased. Scrooge just smiled warmly and dissolved in white-blue light.

“Solved your ghost problem, Mr. Azi,” Dean said, dusting his hands on his jeans. “Oh _thank_ you, Mr. Winchester. I’m ever so grateful. I know a lot, about a lot of things, but this particular niche… not so much. One of my siblings is actually way better with these things, but they’ve been… out of touch. As a token of my gratitude, I will gift you the rings. Elly!” He clapped again. “The room is secure now, my dear. You can get us those rings now, if you please.” Elly eyed Dean, who winked and nodded. “All gone, sweetheart. Promise,” he said. She nodded too and disappeared to the back. When she brought out the rings, Mr. Azi looked long and hard at the display, before picking two rings out of their place. “These. I’m certain,” he declared with a final air. 

He handed them over to Dean, who gasped. They were both silver, but the larger one was broad and engraved all around with tiny pairs of wings, the silver etching blackened by age or craft. The smaller one was slimmer, and inlaid all around with tiny hexagons of gold, and one honey coloured, hexagon shaped gem. “That’s citrine.” Mr. Azi elaborated. “It is not glued in, if you were worried about that. As you can see, it all has a firm clasping setting. That little mineral and its golden friends aren’t going anywhere.” Dean rubbed his mouth to cover for his eyes misting up. “Wow. They’re amazing, Mr. Azi. Thank you.” Azi smiled and ducked his head a little sideways. “I’ll wrap them up for you. One box, or two?” With a humongous effort, Dean made his throat work. “One, please.” Mr. Azi nodded and with deft hands he quickly boxed the rings and wrapped them. A little bow and a sticker with the shop’s name, and Dean was bowed out with many smiles and a heartfelt: “Goodbye Mr. Winchester. Tell your someone Azi said Hi. They’ll know.” Dean walked towards Baby, wondering when the Hell he’d told Azi his name.


End file.
